Food-on-the-go specialist Greggs has opened the 30th store of its outlet chain, which enables it to minimise waste while contributing to deprived communities.
The sausage roll and sandwich retailer’s latest store is in Newham, east London.
Greggs anticipates running a total of 50 outlet branches by 2025.
Greggs Outlet retails unsold, day-old food products at a lower price than normal, meaning that “families on a tight budget are able to spend less while still having access to great-quality food”.
The first branch opened in 1972 and last year the chain sold 1.1 million sweet products, 1.1 million sandwiches and 1 million savoury items. Altogether, 880 tonnes of food was passed on to the outlet shops and Greggs was able to redistribute 28% of all unsold food, up from 12% in 2018.
A share of profits goes through the Greggs Foundation to local community organisations, often those addressing food poverty.
Last year, £370,000 was raised for charity through Greggs Outlet shops, which also help Greggs pursue its sustainability targets.
Greggs chief executive Roisin Currie said: “As a leading food-on-the-go retailer in the UK, it’s important that we do our bit to put an end to food waste and help to tackle poverty, hunger and deprivation across all the communities we operate in.
“We have three channels for giving good food a second chance – we donate it to charities who can make use of it, we offer it to our customers at a discount via the Too Good To Go app and we sell it at a discount through our outlet shops.
“The expansion of our outlet shop estate is a core part of the Greggs Pledge and a testament to the commitment we make every day in supporting our customers’ health, our communities and our planet, which we are on track to deliver against our 2025 targets.”
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